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DRéE, Étienne Gilbert de.

(1760 – 1848)

(Born: 1760; Died: 1848) French nobelman.

Drée was the brother-in-law of the mineralogist D. Dolomieu and treasurer of the States of Languedoc. He purchased the mineralogical portion of the natural history cabinet of Baron Joubert, to which he made considerable additions.

Biographical references: ABF: I 328, 324-326. Cleevely, World Palæontological Collections, 1983: 105. Laissus, Cabinets d'Histoire Naturelle, 1964. WBI. Wilson, History of Mineral Collecting, 1994: 168.

Catalogue des huit Collections, 1811

1. French, 1811 [Collection catalog].
Catalogue | Des Huit Collections | Qui Composent | Le Musée Minéralogique | De Ét. De Drée, | Avec Des Notes Instructives Sur Les Substances Pierreuses Qui Sont | Employées Dans Différens Arts, Et Douze Planches En Taille-Douse. | [tapered rule] | A Paris, | Chez Potey, Libraire, Rue Du Bac, N° 46. | [wavy rule] | 1811.

8°: π2 1-384; 154l.; [4], [1]-304 p., 12 plates (numbered I-XII). Page size: 272 x 210 mm.

Contents: [2 pgs], Half title page, "Musée Minéralogique," verso "De L'Imprimerie De Crapelet."; [2 pgs], Title page, verso blank.; [1]-4, "Objet Et Plan Du Musée."; [5]-290, Text.; [291]-294, "Supplément."; [295]-301, "Table | Par Ordre De Collections Et De Matieres Des Objets | Contenus Dans Ce Volume."; [302], "Errata."; [303]-304, "Explication Des Planches."; [At end], 12 plates.

Plates: The plates figure cut gems, intaglios, vases, engraved gems, marble ornaments and statues.

Rare. A remarkable catalog of a large and famous collection of minerals, fossils, gems, rocks and objects made from stone. Based on the text, Dreé divided his museum into eight collections dealing with: I. Mineralogy. II. Rocks and Stones, including meteorites. III. Products of Volcanoes, such as lava, basalt and other ejecta. IV. Fossilized Organic Bodies. V. Rocks, Stones and ornamental plaques made of stone, including jades, marbles, alabaster, malachite and hematite. VI. Precious Gems. VII. Engraved Stones and Agates. VIII. Monuments and Statues carved in stone. Through out the text, Drée has added a good commentary that enhances the specimen descriptions. The supplemental material at the end describes the latest additions to his collection including precious stones, engraved agates and monuments. The twelve fine plates by the designer La Guiche and engraved by Lecerf illustrate some of the better specimens from the collection including faceted gems, a fine dendritic agate, engraved gems and other ornamental objects. Over the years through auctions Drée sold off various sections of his museum; however, the mineral collection consisting of about 15,000 specimens was ultimately acquired en bloc by the Musée de Minéralogie de l'École Nationale Supérieure des Mines in Paris in 1845.

Bibliographical references: Burchard, Mineral Museums, 1986: p. 78. Dana's 7th (Bibliography): 69. LKG: XV 52. Partsch, Katalog der Bibliothek, 1851: no. 465. Sinkankas, Gemology Bibliography, 1993: no. 1779.

Catalogue des Objets Rare, 1814

2. French, 1814 [Collection catalog].
Catalogue | Des | Objects Rares Et Précieux | Formant Les Huit Collections | De | Pierres Fines, ou Gemmes Taillées; | Pierres Gravées, Agates Arborisées, Et Autres Bijoux; | Monumens Et Meubles D'Agrément, En Roches, etc.; | Roches et Pierres en Plaques Polies; | Mineralogies; | Roches et Pierres; | Produits Volcaniques; | Corps Organisés Fossiles, | Qui Composent | Le Musée Mineralogique | De M. Le Marquis De Drée. | [tapered rule] | Se trouve A Paris, | [The following four lines braced on the left by "Chez {":] M. Paillet, Commercant en objets d'arts, Rue Montartre, | N° 173; | M. Léman, rue Saint-Dominique, N° 11, faubourg Saint- | Germain. | [ornate rule] | 1814.

8°: π2 1-88 95; 72l.; [2], [1]-139, [1] blank, [2] p. Page size: 198 x 112 mm.

Contents: [2 pgs], Title page, verso "De L'Imprimerie De Crapelet."; [1], "Avis."; 2, "Indications des Abréviations."; [3]-139, Text.; [1 pg], Blank.; [1 pg], "Table Des Collections."; [1 pg], "Errata."

Rare. One of several catalogs describing part of the extensive mineral and gem collection formed by the Marquis Drée. This particular volume describes the gemstones and other gem material of the collection. The first portion describes 300 specimens of cut gemstones such as diamond, ruby, sapphire, topaz, peridot, emerald, aquamarine, garnet, and many other species. The second part describes 286 specimens of a wide variety of engraved gems, agates with dendrites and other ornamental stones. Section three covers massive stones like lapis lazuli, jade and jadeite, amazonite, rock crystal, etc. A final section, describes plaques made of polished stones.

Bibliographical references: Partsch, Katalog der Bibliothek, 1851: no. 466. Sinkankas, Gemology Bibliography, 1993: no. 1780.

3. French, 1816 [Collection catalog].
Catalogue | D'Objects Rares Et Précieux, | Consistant: 1°. En Statues, Monumens antiques, Colonnes, Vases, | Trépieds, Cheminées, Pendules, Tables, etc., en granit, | porphyre, lapis, serpentine et marbres les plus beaux, etc., | 2°. En Pierres gravées antiques et modernes, en agates | arborisées et en autre Pierres employées en bijoux; | 3°. En Diamans, Rubis, Grenat, et toutes espèces de Pierres | fines taillées, et du plus beau choix; | 4°. En plaques polies d'agate, jaspe, avanturine, granits, | brèches, marbres, etc., toutes de la plus belle qualité. | Ces Objets Formant quatre Collections: | De Monumens et Meublesd'Agrément en Roches, etc.; | De Pierres Gravées, AgatesArborisées; | De Pierres Fines Ou Gemmes; | De Roches et Musée Minéralogique | De M. Le Marquis De Drée, | La Vente de ces Objetsaura lieu en son Hotel, rue St.- | Dominique, n° 11, le lundi 27 janvier 1817 et jours | suivans; l'Exposition sera publique, à compterde | Dimanche 19 janvier, depuis midi jusqu'à trois heures. | Le Présent Catalogue se Distribue; | Chez { ... | [double rule] | Nota. Les Personnes qui auraient des motifs pour voir le Cabinet avant | l'Exposition publique, sont priées de s'adresser a l'un de ces trois Messieurs, | ou a M. Léman, rue St.-Dominique, Faubourg-St. Germain, n°. 11| [rule] | 1816.

8°: [2], [i]-vi, [1]-159, [1] p. Page size: 184 x 120 mm.

Contents: [2 pgs], Title page, verso advertisements where the copies of the catalog can be acquired.; [i]-v, Preface.; vi, Abbreviations.; [1]-158, Text.; 159, Errata.; [1 pg], Blank.

Rare. Auction catalog for a sale that commenced on January 27th, 1817 and continued for several days after. Sold where many if not all those objects from Drée's collection corresponding to his sections 6-8, including his precious gems, engraved stones and agates and his monuments and statues carved from stone.

Bibliographical references: Sinkankas, Gemology Bibliography, 1993: no. 1781.

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